A third option changes the negotiation  —  The conventional wisdom on the fiscal cliff is that there are two options: (1) an Obama-Boehner deal; or (2) no deal, in which case there is no legislation before the end of the year and we “go off the fiscal cliff.”

The Political Advantages of Not Caring  —  Near the end of a column on the Michigan “right-to-work” coup, Jonathan Chait offers an important insight on why Republicans are willing and able to pull these sort of stunts: … It's kind of important to understand that this total hostility to the labor movement …

Do We Really Have to Condemn the Union Protestor Who Punched Fox News Comedian Steven Crowder?  —  Good, serious progressives are supposed to condemn violence as a political tactic, because it's wrong and in many cases counterproductive.  But do we really need to condemn the union protestor …

Lie of the Year: the Romney campaign's ad on Jeeps made in China  —  It was a lie told in the critical state of Ohio in the final days of a close campaign — that Jeep was moving its U.S. production to China.  It originated with a conservative blogger, who twisted an accurate news story into a falsehood.

Obama Wins Almost 50% Republicans on Tax Mandate in Poll  —  President Barack Obama won the public argument over taxes so decisively that almost half of Republicans now say he has an election mandate to raise rates on the rich.  —  Majorities of about 2-to-1 also read the election results …

NORAD acknowledges missile launch  —  PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - North American Aerospace Defense Command officials acknowledged today that U.S. missile warning systems detected and tracked the launch of a North Korean missile at 7:49 p.m. EST. The missile was tracked on a southerly azimuth.

For immediate release  —  Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in October suggests that economic activity and employment have continued to expand at a moderate pace in recent months, apart from weather-related disruptions.  Although the unemployment rate …

Republican Leadership Denies Asking For Permanent Extension Of Lower Tax Rates For Rich  —  “That's deliberately misleading White House spin,” says Buck.  —  Image by Carolyn Kaster, File / AP  —  WASHINGTON — A spokesman for Speaker of the House John Boehner is denying a reported White House claim …

Union Thugs Demolish Clint Tarver's Iconic Lansing,Michigan Hot Dog Cart [Photo-Donation Link] Update: Thugs Yelled “N*gger Uncle Tom” Update 2: Revenge For Americans For Prosperity Catering Gig (?) Update 3: A Romney Supporter, All We Need To Know  —  I support Clint: … Beyond the Cart: The Story of Clint Tarver:

Scientists May Have Finally Unlocked Puzzle of Why People Are Gay  —  Lesbians get it from fathers, gay men from mothers?  —  Scientists may have finally solved the puzzle of what makes a person gay, and how it is passed from parents to their children.  —  A group of scientists suggested Tuesday …

Time and Punishment: Mandatory Sentences Face Growing Skepticism  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Stephanie George and Judge Roger Vinson had quite different opinions about the lockbox seized by the police from her home in Pensacola.  She insisted she had no idea that a former boyfriend had hidden it in her attic.

McConnell: Only thing left on the negotiating table ‘is the varnish’  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said President Obama has taken so much off the table in deficit negotiations that the “only thing left is the varnish.”  —  “The president and his allies have taken …

Eric Holder: Time To Consider National Voting Standards  —  Attorney General Eric Holder said during a speech on Tuesday night at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library that it's time to consider setting national standards for how elections should be handled.

Syria Fires Scud Missiles at Insurgents, U.S. Says  —  WASHINGTON — Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have fired Scud missiles at rebel fighters in recent days, Obama administration officials said on Wednesday.  —  The move represents a significant escalation in the fighting …

The RNC's Fix-It Committee  —  Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, spoke to NRO yesterday morning about the committee's new Growth and Opportunity Project, which is led by a five-member panel that will review the operations and strategies of the RNC and Republican party as a whole.